Question: The covenant to circumcise males is labeled as “everlasting” in the Old Testament. However, the New Testament states it is no longer relevant. People explain that the word “everlasting” is a translation of a Hebrew text that did not actually have a word for infinite like we do now. That doesn’t seem to make […]
Author Archives: Rabbonim of the Beis Hora'a
Patriarchs and Moshe Rabbeinu wear tefillin?
Question: Shalom Rav. Moshe Rabbeinu and our Patriarchs, did they wear tefillin? Answer: The patriarchs did wear tefillin as it says, that they indeed kept all of the commandments, therefore we have no reason to assume that tefillin was any different. Moshe Rabbeinu definitely wore tefillin, after al he was the one told by […]
Dogs in kosher kitchen
Question: Unfortunately, my wife has dogs who get into the kitchen from time-to-time. While she thinks very little about it, it bothers me considerably especially because I have OCD around kashrut issues. In any event, earlier she left one of our cupboards where we keep our diary pots open while she left the room. It […]
Is a magnet Muktza
Question: Is a magnet mutur on shabbos or is a cli shmilachto liussur or is it machmas goofo Answer: It depends on the usual use of the magnet. For example, a magnet that is used to attach papers to something is considered a kli shemilachto l’heter, and may be moved for any reason. Most […]
Inheritance law
Question: Dear Rabbi, Hashem has me with two parents who grieve over the exist of Jewish orthodoxy. I am the first born and should have a double portion for my inheritance. My father and mother will be dividing it equal to our three children myself and two siblings. Currently, Hashem has me on mental health […]
Kashrus question
Question: Hi. Is it ok to eat to ok to dried mango with no added ingredients that has a hechsher that may be questionable? Answer: Hello, According to the kashrus professional that we contacted, it is permitted. Best wishes
Shabbos bishul questions
Question: 1) How can I warm up fried shnitzel on a hotplate on shabbos? Is it okay to put it on top of a pot that is on a hot plate? 2) Is it okay to add cold water to hot soup/tea/etc in kli shlishi? What about pouring hot soup/etc onto cold water drops in […]
Unknown object in kosher food
Question: I was eating a wrap made by my wife from prepared food (tabule and humus) from a kosher certified grocery store. Inside, I found a small, hard, tasteless foreign item that I was unable to chew. I’m not really able to identify the object. Personally, I thought it might be something inedible like a […]
Course
Question: Hi, If my friend paid for a course given by a goy. Can I use her login to view the course as well? Answer: Hello, We are not allowed to teal from a goy, and if the person charges for viewing the course it would constitute geneiva. Best wishes
Medical procedure with cadaver part
Question: In an upcoming medical procedure that will be taking place, my doctor said that he might have to put in to me some cartilage from a dead person’s donated cartilage. Is this permitted or is the cartilage osur b’hanah? The doctor said that ideally he would like the option to use such cartilage, but […]
Tuition and Gaza War
Question: Rabbi, My son was in Israel learning in yeshiva until the war broke out in October 2023. He decided to come home due to the war. After being home for an extended time. He decided not return to the Yeshiva in Israel. I have discussed with the issue with the school. They responded that […]
Paying for others with your credit card
Question: My wife and I are being flown out to a congregant’s son’s wedding. The Baal Simcha told me to buy the tickets, and he would reimburse me via Zelle. The tickets came to $1130, which I put on my credit card. He Zelle’d me $1200. I’m assuming he intends for me to keep the […]
Fortune cookie bishul or pas akum
Question: Is a fortune cookie a problem of pas akum or bishul akum? They make thin dough and bake it. If it has a hechsher does that mean there is no bishul akum so can eat it but if it is pas akum even with hechsher it might not be pas yisrael? Answer: Hello, It […]
Cutting Down Trees – Animals
Question: Are there any halachic issues with cutting down trees that animals are inhabiting? Answer: Hello, There are issues with cutting down fruit trees, however when it is permitted, the fact that animal are inhabiting he tree is not a halachic factor. The animals will find themselves another home Best wishes
Who to kill
Question: My 7 year old Yehoshua wanted to know – if someone says I have one bullet and am either going to kill you or another Jew, should one offer oneself to save one’s friend? Does it compare to murder being yehareh veal yaavor? Answer: Hello, Nice question! The idea that a Jew should […]
Honoring unconscious parents
Question: My elderly mother is in the ICU in critical condition, and she is not conscious, is there still a mitzvah of kibud em even though she is unaware and cannot ask for anything or tell me to do something, etc? Answer: Hello, Yes. the halachos of kibbud av v’em, apply not only when a […]
Soulmate
Question: Shalom, Rabbi What would a Jew do if he founds out that his soulmate( A Jewish girl) have converted to Christianity, should he gone on and marry her? Answer: Hello, A Jew that is loyal to his heritage would not want to marry a person who forsakes his religion. Being a soulmate is […]
BUYING FOR SHABBOS
Question: DO YOU GET REIMBURSED FOR BUYING FOR SHABBOS NON FOOD ITEMS Answer: Yes. the idea is that the item is bought for the honor of Shabbos. the idea is that it is bought not for the person’s personal pleasure, rather that the expense is done for the honor of Hashem’s Shabbos. It can […]
Yosef reuniting with Yaakov
Question: Hi Rabbi, thank you for this wonderful forum. 1. Do we know the date in Jewish history (or month) when Yosef revealed himself to his brothers “Ani Yosef”? Was it Nissan? Adar ? 2. Do we know the date (or month) when Ya’akov and Yosef were reunited with one another? Good shabbas! Answer: […]
Asking Mechilah
Question: A person asked the following question. He looked inside [browsed] the content of a private person’s electronic files; whether on an open computer or a USB. Is asking mechilo necessary. There is a chance that the person asked will be greatly upset. The shulchan oruch discusses specifying the wrong. Is this crucial. Is it […]
Lending from Maaser
Question: Hi, I’ve been asked by a friend who’s struggling for a loan, which they’ll pay back in installments each month (interest free of course). Am I allowed to lend them the money from my Maaser account which I’ve accumulated over time, and as their monthly repayments come in I’ll transfer the funds into the […]
Bug in salad/on plate
Question: Hi Rabbi I was having lunch with salad and I saw a tiny tiny spider on the plate (presumably from the salad). I threw out the salad but are my plate and fork still kosher? Anything special to do here? Thanks! Answer: Hello, The plate and fork are fine to use, and there […]
Masser on found money
Question: If you find money in the street, do you need to take masser from it. Please cite source Answer: Hello, A person who finds money that he is halachically allowed to keep should take maaser from it, as it is no different from other income that he makes. If you want sources for […]
If a man finishes a Masechet or a book of Tanach does is it a mitzvah to do a siyum?
Question: Ha Rav, If a man finishes a Masechet or a book of Tanach does is it a mitzvah to do a siyum? What mitzvah is it in the 613 mitzvot? Answer: Hello, Yes it is a mitzva to make a siyum when a person finishes a mesechet or a sefer of Nach. the […]
Tutorial payment
Question: I was hired to tutor an avreich. His mother paid me in advance $20K. This money came to me through a “Donor Advised Fund”. That is an org people donate to irrevocably for the purpose of tax exemption. The org passes on the money to whatever non-profit cause they choose. But will not return […]
Using meat and dairy knives successively as serving utensils
Question: For food items like a tub of chumus, guacamole, or other dips. Do you have to be careful to use only meat or only dairy serving utensils? Meaning if you bring it out on different occasions, let’s say a shabbos meal and then on Sunday you want chumus on your lunch sandwich. Does it […]
Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam
Question: May an extra pair of Rashi Tefillin be converted into Rabeinu Tam tefillin? Answer: Hello, Although there are people who are mehader to put on Rabeinu Tam tefillin, the way we pasken is that the rashi tefillin is the correct way that the parshiot are meant to be placed. this applies to the degree […]
Gift for non-Jewish friend
Question: Dear rabbi, Can I give my non-Jewish friend a snowman necklace charm as a holiday gift? She really loves a snowman from a holiday movie she showed me. It would be a special gift for her. Would that be permitted? I know you can’t give gifts on the day of the avodah zarah holiday. […]
Shabbat opening and closing Sefer
Question: B”H Kavod haRav, Thank you for your help. Regarding opening and closing books on Shabbat, if there are raised (raised, textured, straight lines from the printing, almost like very skinny toothpick type of raised straight lines) on the side of the books pages, does this pose any issue of opening and closing the Sefer? […]
Nittul and tehillim
Question: May we say tehillim on nittul starting from after chatzos by day? Answer: Hello, One may say tehillim the day before nittul, as the minhag only applies at night until chatzos, even for thse who abstain from learning on this night. Secondly there are different minhagim regarding not learning on this night, and […]
Landlord changes his mind
Question: My question is, I was in the process of finding a house to rent for me and my family and found a house on a block that I liked, after viewing the house and much back and forth with the landlord negotiating tenant improvement we finally came to an agreement and I signed my […]
What to do with Gemach capital
Question: My father a”h founded a gemach over 50 years ago that makes loans of a few thousand dollars. Demand has dwindled, and most of the capital is sitting in an account doing nothing. I am able to track down only a few of the descendants of the contributors. Should I be donating the remaining […]
Brush
Question: Can I use a brush that’s made with pig bristles? I only realized this after I bought it. Answer: Hello, I am assuming that you mean to ask regarding that it isn’t a kosher animal. It is permitted to use, because we may not eat pig, however we are allowed to derive benefit […]
Toiveling rice cooker
Question: In the instructions of a rice cooker it says “immersing in water may cause damage to the insulation, thus, causing electric leakage and danger.” What do you advise regarding toiveling? Answer: Hello, It should still be toveled, however it should not be used for a few days afterwards, in order to give it […]
Making a vow to do something
Question: What is considered a vow? I’m aware that if I say I will do something, I should do it. But, if I answer a poll saying I’ll do something/be somewhere, or write it down on my phone to remind myself, is not doing it a sin? Answer: Hello, In general, we should be […]
Good kosher sense
Question: Dear Rabbi, I sense there are two reasons I find difficulty in Israel. One is first and obviously the worst I think. I was not brought with fear of heaven and anything goes. I think a kosher daughter is never in the picture for marriage. The other more grand is that all of my […]
Maaser Kesafim – State Disability Pay for Maternity Leave
Question: I just want to make sure that I’m doing this correctly. When calculating Maaser Kesafim, State Disability Pay for Maternity Leave would be calculated as “income” correct? Therefore, we would have to pay maaser on this, correct? Answer: Hello, What you are writing is correct. State disability is considered income, and a person […]
Zen Mahanah Zen Lo Chaser
Question: Is this din of Zen Mahanah Zen Lo Chaser muttar Lechticila or only Bedived. Please cite sources Answer: There are different opinions about this, and it also depends on the specific case. If you are looking for sources here are some. ע’ מרדכי ב”ק ס’ ט”ו בשם נמו”י, תוס’ ב”ק כ: ד”ה הא, […]
Non-Kosher Pot in Oven
Question: I’m staying at a rented condo and heated up some chicken in the oven here. I triple wrapped the chicken in foil because the oven is non-kosher. In any event, after we had eaten we noticed there was a non-kosher pot on the top shelf of the oven that we had not noticed (the […]
What to do with the oil, cups, metal wick holder, and wicks used for the Chanuka menorah?
Question: (1) Is it ok to wash off the glass cups and the metal wick holders, in order to reuse them the following year? (2) In past years, I would put all of what remains into a bag and burn them with my arbah minim along with my chomets right before Pesach. I was just […]
Avak Lashon Hara on shiurim
Question: Is it permissible to recommend a shiur on social media from a rav if there is a doubt that some people might start detractors? I’m a big confused how some kiruv rabbis encourage people to share their videos when it’s virtually certain some scoffers will make negative comments and wouldn’t constitute avak lashon hara. […]
Davar charif
Question: If I take a parve knife with crushed garlic on it and wipe the garlic off on the edge of a non benyomo hot fleshig pot frying onions does it make the knife meaty Answer: Hello, The knife did not become meaty since the frying pan was not a ben yomo. Best wishes […]
Gifted clothes (from a ben Noach)
Question: Dear Rabbi, my aunt gave me some of her son’s clothes that he used when he was younger, I think he doesn’t use them anymore, he doesn’t live with his parents. I think she gave me the clothes without asking her son if he agreed. Is it considered stealing? Or is it permitted because […]
Trying on in a shop with no intention of buying
Question: Hi, Can one try things on in a shop even though he has no intention of buying, I’m asking by a case of a Jew and also by a non-Jew. If not, when I’m like 90 percent sure I’m not going to is that also not allowed. thanks Answer: Hello, If there is […]
Maaser with debt
Question: Hi. I have decided to be more careful and precise when it comes to maaser as a bracha. But I’m having trouble making ends meet, and I also have a large debt. The debt is long term but I am currently only paying the interest. My question is, can I use Ma’aser money to […]
Baby naming without a Bris
Question: I’m a Rabbi in an American shul. One congregant has a daughter “married” to a non Jewish man. They had a baby boy and the father is adamant that he won’t allow a Bris Milah. In his mind it’s mutilating his son. The mother would like me to give the baby a Jewish name. […]
ASORO BE’TEVES – FASTING
Question: I am a 73 years old female . Several years ago I had colorectal cancer and although B”H I am completely clear now and take no medication on a regular basis my digestive and evacuation system is impaired and I have to be careful when and what I eat. I have no problem fasting […]
Spelling of Mendel
Question: When I got divorced many years ago, I had asked a posek how to spell Mendel, with or without an eyin, and he looked in a sefer and said with the eyin. My question is, is this an obligation that I must always spell it that way, or I can now choose to spell […]
Witness unsure of father’s name
Question: Should someone avoid being a witness such as at a wedding, if there is a question about their father’s hebrew name? What happens if a question about the father’s name arises after they were already a witness? Answer: Hello, You do not have to avoid being a witness. It is part of the […]
Marriage
Question: Hi, Id just like to know, what are the things the beis din asks or the rabbi asks when you are gonna get married to show proof of judaism, and what if you dont have it, and what if you only have lets say the kesuba of your parents, is that enough? Answer: […]